Moments later you don the protective suits that will keep you alive, gather your equipment and rush to the scene of a blazing inferno. You must face your fears, never give up, and above all else work as a team because the fire is raging, the building is threatening to collapse and people are in danger.

You must succeed – lives are on the line!

FlashPoint: Fire Rescue is a cooperative game that is fun to play with friends and family. All the players are on the same team - everyone either wins or loses together. With four levels of play (Family, Recruit, Veteran and Heroic) there is a challenge appropriate for players of all skills and ages.

We all know someone that always wanted to be a brave firefighter, or maybe you even know a real firefighter yourself. Seems that this would be a game that they would like, and I want to help get this game funded so they could enjoy it. But how do I know that Flash Point: Fire Rescue will be something that I want to play?

Great question – of course you could take my word for it, but I‘d like it if you were helping to make possible a game that you really will enjoy to play for many years to come. Before we decided to publish this game we played it hundreds of times, with scores of different groups. We mad sure that everything works, but more importantly that everyone is having fun when they play. This is why I think you will too:

Easy to Learn – the rules to Flash Point are really quite simple. Every player controls a firefighter that can move, extinguish fires, carry victims to safety, or chop through walls. Things that you would expect a firefighter to do. My five year old son knows what his firefighter can do. He likes to play along with the rest of our family – and we can all win together.

True to Life – While the “family” level of game play has limited player actions, the “Experienced” game features specialists that introduce a whole new level of firefighting techniques. You can be the Fire Captain getting making everyone else more effective, the Engine Operator accurately firing the Engine’s deck gun, a Hazmat Technician disposing dangerous materials or the Paramedic resuscitating victims in the heat of the blaze. Every one one of these 8 specialists has unique abilities, but they can’t work alone or the team will fail. And just to make sure that we weren’t making this all up, we’ve had real life firefighters involved in developing this game. They have told us that this game feels like fighting a real fire. They also tell us that it’s a great feeling when everyone works together to “beat the game”.

Fun to Play – Of course when everyone is playing to “beat the game” we needed to make sure that it wasn’t too easy. No one wants a empty victory, and Kevin’s design has a very exciting way to control how the fire spreads through the building - this is a game of skill, but it’s not without some luck. To make sure that everyone can find a challenge that is appropriate for their skill level we have three different difficulty levels in the game, Recruit, Veteran and Heroic. And regardless of what level you are playing at, I can guarantee that there will be many times in the game where you’ll be closing your eyes in dread as you roll dice for the fire. That thrill is exhilarating, and makes everyone cheer or groan together as the dice settle.

Played over and over again - Any great game you'll want to play it many times, and have it be a new challenge every time. Flash Point features a random set-up so each game starts differently, and with the different difficulty levels there is a lot of game to explore. And the board flips over to reveal a new, and more challenging building in which to fight fires. Supporters can also have access to the the Scenario Book, tha tis full of interesting variations in game play that require different approaches if you want to win.

A Great Gift – Christmas is just around the corner. It seems like every year there are more and more video games that find their way under our trees, for our kids, relatives and spouses. Now I enjoy video games, but I’d much rather play a game with everyone sitting around the table, talking to each other and figuring out how to work together. Cooperative board games are a great way to do that, and living the dream of being a firefighter in Flash Point: Fire Rescue is an easy way to get friends and family to play.

So if you are so excited about this game, why do you need funding to get it made?

Another great question – it wasn’t something that we planned to do. But costs got out of control. Firstly we’ve spent way more on art than we budgeted for. And then because this is such a great game for players of all ages we decided to label the box as 10+. If you have been following recent events you’ll know that a new lead testing law passed a couple of years ago. What you might not have known was that lead testing is very expensive for small companies, and has had a huge impact on many small family owned creative businesses. A giant toy and games company can easily absorb these costs; in fact it’s not even clear that they have to do anything differently than what they were doing before. But for our small business this has a major effect on what products we can bring to market. This is a big game, with lots of pieces, testing is very expensive. We are confident in our manufacturer and have chosen to work with the best that we can find, but the best isn’t the cheapest. So high development costs to make the game look as good as it plays, high testing costs and high production values makes this a very expensive project. Without your help we might not be able to get everything made and you won’t be able to enjoy playing it. In case you are wondering the total cost for our first print run is close to $50K. So even if we hit our goal here, we have a lot of costs still to cover.

We really do appreciate your help – we are doing our best to make a game you’ll enjoy, and we want to make sure that you are rewarded for your support. On the right you’ll see that we have several different ways you can support our game and even help say thank you to those brave men and women that protect your hometowns. Our special offers include bonus items – we have extra specialist cards, a scenario book, and game maps that won’t be released to everyone else (The current plan is that these promo items will be sold in the future as limited release expansion at a significantly higher cost than they are offered here). This is one way that we want to thank you for your support.

Thank you all for reading this far and I hope you take a few moments to support his project!

A special note to our international fans - Shipping to Canada can be done for an extra $5 per game. European supporters can order for pick up at Essen. Elsewhere in the world you can order for additional $15 per game to cover postage. The game is planned to be released with English and German instructions, other languages may be available for digital download.

About Kevin Lanzing: Game DesignerMy interest in gaming began with
Magic: The Gathering. I played casual games with an after-school group.
From there I discovered Cheapass Games and learned how much fun could be
had for $5-10. For a high-school kid with limited funds, that was a
revelation. It got me thinking, "Hey, this looks easy. I'll bet I could
do this!" So I did, and just kept on doing it. Flash Point will be my
second published game, but it's never been about getting published. As
new ideas come to me, I feel a need to express them. Some people would
paint, or write music, but I make games instead. Game design has been a
constant in my life for the past eight years, and I'm just getting
started!

Flash Point began with the question, "Where are the
firefighting board games?" Firefighting is a terrific theme: a battle of
wits against the elements, man versus nature, plenty of tension and
moments of real heroism. What would such a game look like? First, it
would have to be cooperative. Firefighters who act selfishly to "score
points" aren't heroes, no matter how high their score. Second, the
antagonist would have to be the fire itself. This sounds obvious, but it
got me thinking about (and researching) how a fire actually spreads.
Fire will smoke, simmer, creep, or explode given the right combination
of heat, air, and fuel. Finding a good, simple mechanic that modeled the
unpredictable nature of fire was the first challenge. The rest, as they
say, is just details.

About George Patsouras: Character Artist

I've always been passionate for art for as long as I can remember. I started drawing very early in my childhood, and most of my work was done then with pencils and colored pencils. I took several art courses throughout my career as well, mostly specializing in life drawing above all else. I'm mostly self taught, and studied artists such as Andrew Loomis to further help define and improve my technique.

Currently I'm working full time as a Freelance Illustrator, and I couldn't ask for a better job. It feels great to get paid for work that I enjoy doing, so I'm very happy that I chose this career path. This is my second project with Indie Boards and Cards, I’ve really enjoyed working with another small business that is passionate about their work.

About Hrvoje Čop: 3-D Visualization Specialist

My primary field of work is architectural 3d visualization which I have
been doing as a freelance artist for almost 10 years now. I studied
architecture at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and contributed to
many architectural projects and competitions, but decided to devote
myself to 3d and design work exclusively. I am mostly self-taught
although my architectural background makes the job a lot easier. Being a
collector of board games since early childhood, I always wished do some
commercial work in the games industry - to combine my work and my
favorite hobby. This is my first project with Indie Boards and Cards and
it has been a great experience! I hope to do more board game related
projects in the future. Currently I am trying to start my own design
studio and expand my field of work to rapid prototyping and personal
fabrication.

About Luis Francisco: Graphic Designer

Boardgaming and design have been passions of mine for many years. This year I was very fortunate to have completed coursework in Digital Design at the Vancouver Film School to add to my bachelor’s degree in graphic design from my native Brazil. Now that schooling is behind me I look forward to a career in professional graphic and interactive design. I’ve worked with Indie Boards and Cards on all four of their games! It’s been a great experience, and I am really proud of of having this work in my portfolio.

About Indie Boards and Cards

Indie Boards and Cards started in 2009 as an independent publisher of great game designs. In 2010 we released three games, all of which have been well received by critics and fans alike. Our biggest seller has been The Resistance - a game of secret identities, deception and deduction that is now available in 12 languages around the world. Haggis has been a very popular card game –rewarding strategic play and outstanding artwork. Triumvirate is my own design. If you like interesting card games for two player you’ll want to pick this up soon as it’s out of print. Be sure to look for The Resistance, Haggis and Triumvirate wherever games are sold. If your favorite game store doesn’t carry our games, please ask them to!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $70 or more
About $70

One copy of the game with a promo specialist card, the scenario book and an additional double-side game board with two new & unique buildings sent any where in the US, or for pick up at Essen/Spiel. Plus one copy of The Resistance, plus one copy of Haggis.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $70 or more
About $70

Two copies of the game each with a promo specialist card, the scenario book and an additional double-side game board with two new & unique buildings sent any where in the US, or for pick up at Essen/Spiel.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $90 or more
About $90

Three copies of the game each with a promo specialist card, the scenario book and an additional double-side game board with two new & unique buildings sent any where in the US, or for pick up at Essen/Spiel.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

Three copies of the game each with a promo specialist card, the scenario book and an additional double-side game board with two new & unique buildings sent any where in the US, or for pick up at Essen/Spiel.

Plus one copy of the game sent to the fire station in your town as a gift from you. A great way to say thank you to those that help protect you!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $115 or more
About $115

Two copies of the game each with a promo specialist card, the scenario book and an additional double-side game board with two new & unique buildings sent any where in the US, or for pick up at Essen/Spiel. Plus two copies of Haggis. Plus two copies of The Resistance.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $175 or more
About $175

Three copies of the game each with a promo specialist card, the scenario book and an additional double-side game board with two new & unique buildings sent any where in the US, or for pick up at Essen/Spiel. Plus three copies of Haggis, plus three copies of The Resistance. Plus one copy of the game, Haggis and The Resistance sent to the fire station in your town as a gift from you. A great way to say thank you to those that help protect you!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $200 or more
About $200

Three copies of the game each with a promo specialist card, the scenario book and an additional double-side game board with two new & unique buildings sent any where in the US, or for pick up at Essen/Spiel.

Plus one copy of the game sent to the fire station in your town as a gift from you. A great way to say thank you to those that help protect you!

Plus one prototype game (as shown in the video) sent to your house as soon as the project is funded. A unique way to support the game that you'll remember for years to come.